What is the Best Time of Day to Meditate?

04 Apr What is the Best Time of Day to Meditate?

In all the studies (and reviews of studies) I’ve seen on meditation, I’ve never seen anything scientific about best time of day to meditate. Maybe it exists, but I’ve never heard of it.

From the standpoint of a long-time meditator, plus someone who teaches meditation, my practical answer is this: the best time to meditate . . . is whatever time you will actually do it. It’s a variation on the old line that the best exercise in the world for you is whatever you will actually do.

This said, there is science that the mind is quieter for most people when we first awaken in the morning, plus we are less likely to fall back asleep, so that is an easier time to meditate. Additionally, meditating in the morning lays a good foundation for your outlook and mood for the whole day. (And as a practical matter, if you meditate before the kids get up, if you have any, the house is still quiet.)

Science also shows that just before sleep, the mind and brain are very receptive. In this hypnagogic state, the influence of meditation is going to be high, with results that could ripple through the night. The tradeoff is that we are less alert since we are sleepy.

So perhaps the perfect combination is have your main meditation in the morning (however long it is, even just a few minutes), with a minute or more just before sleep.

But remember, no matter what the scientists say, the best time to meditate is the time that works best for you.

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How do you fit meditation into your day? Is there a time of day that works best for you? Let me know in the comments section below.

3 Comments

Lina Cuartas

I started meditating in the mornings and evenings, and then I realized I fell back into the meditative state when I felt anxiety or had some time to look within. Now, after years of meditating, I feel I can meditate in any situation, washing dishes, walking, feeding the deer, birds, dogs, washing my hands… any opportunity of an intense presence as I am living opens the door into a meditative listening of the melody of love that life plays.

desires1989

I started meditating when I was 18, and after years of tough times, resolving my family issues upto some extent in last 7 years. I didn’t left meditation practice, probably because I’m introvert, and I began to see the effects of meditation only by getting I to suffering and getting out of it. If I wouldn’t be doing meditation, I’d be lost in the waves of misery, thank god, I knew, I am the whole ocean, time ? Well, I for me, it depends on the situation, sometimes, even on the library desk, I do it, sometimes in the temple, as I live in India, or any religious place, sometimes even when I’m in traffic lights, although I’m very much in the flow when I bring some change in situation, or meditation, or some place of silence, around trees, or some scenic beauty, with less or little noise around, infact, some noise bring out deep meditation from inside me….agh, though sharing my experience, I observed a thought that’s saying, brag it Nishant, brag it, show this scientist, how a good meditator you are… Thanks ego…. But Rick will understand..;)

The morning is best for me. When I first wake up, I am still sleepy so there’s not a lot on my mind. I do what my teacher calls “reverie” which is just sitting as the mind and body awake slowly. That takes about 15 minutes and then I start doing the analytic meditation on emptiness or lack of inherent self.